Building Human Centered Systems Based on Communication Infrastructures:

Evidence from Portugal

Jose Moutinho and Manuel Heitor

ESD SymposiumMIT, CambridgeMarch 31th, 2004

Agenda• Empirical research

– New paradigm of urban systems– Why cities?– Digital cities– Portuguese digital cities– Framework of analysis– Semantic grids: the next generation of territory related

knowledge networks.– Conclusions

• Objectives:– Mobilization of the Information Society– Building next generation city infrastructure

New Paradigm of Urban Systems• Manuel Castells’ Informational City (1991)

– “the restructuring of capitalism involved, first the concentration of knowledge as the source of profit and, secondly, the export of production to increase profitability”, requiring “a flexible organization of manufacturing and greatly increased subcontracting, so that, as a consequence, horizontal, loosely connected networks directed by elite experts at the centre replaced the vertical integration of the industrial era”.

• Bill Mitchell´s City of bits (1995)• ...a conceptual question:

Space of places vs Space of Flows?

WhyCities?

Source: Kostof, S. (1991) “ The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings through History”.

a) Energized crowding

b) Urban Clusters

c) Physical circunscription

d) Differentiation of uses

e) Urban resources

f) Written records

g) City and countryside

h) Monumental framework

i) Buildings and people

Citiesare...

“...a relatively large, dense, andpermanent settement of sociallyheterogeneous individuals...“(Spiro Kostof, 1991)

Source: Kostof, S. (1991) “ The City Shaped: UrbanPatterns and Meanings through History”.

Urban vs. Rural Population

Why Portugal?

Lisbon and Porto: Metropolization

Source: United Nations - Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (2002), “World Urbanization Prospects: The 2001 Revision – Data Tables and Highlights”, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wup2001/wup2001dh.pdf

Lisboa and Porto: Metropolization

Source: United Nations - Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (2002), “World Urbanization Prospects: The 2001 Revision – Data Tables and Highlights”, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wup2001/wup2001dh.pdf

Percentagem da População Total a Viver em Cidadescom 750.000 habitantes ou mais - Previsões 2015

0102030405060708090

100

Singapore

Hong Kon

g

Beirut

Brazza

ville

Lisbo

nPan

ama C

ityKuw

ait C

ityYere

van

Montevid

eo

Dubai

Cidades

Perc

enta

gem 1975

1985199520052015

Lisboa and Porto: MetropolizationPercentagem da População Total a Viver em Capitais Europeias

com 750.000 habitantes ou mais - Previsões 2015

4.14.8

6.16.87.07.0

12.012.6

15.918.1

19.723.9

24.726.026.4

30.034.2

45.3

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

BerlinRome

WarsawAmsterdam

BarcelonaMadridPragueLondon

ParisHelsinki

BudapestPorto

CopenhagenDublin

ViennaAthens

RigaLisbon

Áre

a U

rban

a

Percentagem

Source: United Nations - Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (2002), “World Urbanization Prospects: The 2001 Revision – Data Tables and Highlights”, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wup2001/wup2001dh.pdf

What’is a Digital City?

Source: Woolman, M. (2000) “Digital Information Graphics”

Digital Cities...

Loca

l Gov

ernm

entP

orta

l

City

Gui

des

–A

OL

3D V

isua

lliza

tion

Virt

ual C

Om

mun

ities

Source: Woolman, M. (2000) “Digital Information Graphics”

Source: Besselaar, P. (2000) “Amsterdam Digital City”Sour

ce: Is

hida,

T. (2

000)

“Kyo

toDi

gital

City”

Kyoto Digital City• Launched by NTT and

Kyoto University in 1998• Relaunched as Digital City

Kyoto Experimentation Forum in 1999

• 34 services divided in four categories– Information– Community– Showroom– Laboratory

• PersonalPages• GeoLink• 3D Kyoto

Source: Ishida, T. (2000) “Kyoto Digital City”

Amsterdam Digital City• Electronic space for

political discussion and participation

• 10,000 registered users in the first weeks

• Quickly transformed• The demand for these

services declined steadily• Most important assets

discontinued (content production) or sold (school portal in 2000.

Source: Besselaar, P. (2000) “Amsterdam Digital City”

Some Facts about Portugal

Bra

ganç

a 19

99

Mar

inha

Gra

nde

1999

Ave

iro 1

998.

..

Bra

ganç

a 20

00

Digital Cities/Regions - Portugal

Interactive Services

Information Services

Information Systems

Networking and Connectivty

ContextContent(non-physical infrastructures)

Physical Infrastructures

Legend:Strong Investment Medium Investment Insignificant Investment

Framework of Analysis

Typical Infrastructure (Alentejo)

Source: http://www.alentejodigital.pt/

A system study: Alentejo Digital

“Ilities” have not been considered...

Aveiro Digital City

Source: http://www.aveiro-digital.pt

Interactive TV pilot project; On-line news; Digital arts workshops; Interactive listening music; 12 public access information Kiosks (city guides, tourist information, etc.)

Computers, Internet access and ICT training; Port authority telecommunication infrastructure and Information Systems eCommerce service centre; On-line shopping mall; Livestosck information network; eLearnng.

Computers, Internet access, ICT training and focused information for low income families and people with special needs, Teleworking

Computers, Internet access and ICT training for the local public health professionals

Biology knowledge network about local biodiversity, molecular biology and estuary ecosystems

Computers, Internet access and ICT training in local basic and secondary schools for teachers, parents and students; Cybergames and interactive leaning applications

Aveiro Municipality geographical and administrative information systems; Water and sewage municipal services one-stop shop; Water quality sensing and monitoring system; Justice Court Intranet

Internet access points in 13 public buildings and 5 cultural or social organizations

CommunitiyBuilding

E-Government

Education

Environment

Health

SocialCohesion

E-Business

Entertain.Culture

Arts

Further Evidences

Extranet managed by Technological Centre Marinha Grande local-industry (moulding, plastics and glass) network (www.marinhagrandedigital.com/ )

Corporate strategy and competitiveness

Raise public awareness about water quality, flooding and other public risks

Water quality monitoring and public diffusion system (www.simoqua.pt )

Managing Public Risks

Portable computers and Internet access to foster the communication and information exchange between doctors and patients

Health information and communication network of the BragançaDigital City extension services (www.espigueiro.pt/servico_cooperativo/servico_coop_puh.html )

Public Health

Learning materials and information exchange between experts, teachers and students; Website managed by Research Centre

“Engineering in Portugal”, providing historical data and information for Basic and Secondary Schools, as well as university students (http://www.engenharia.com.pt/)

Education / Training

Website developed and managed by Research CentreBiorede - Biology knowledge network about local biodiversity, molecular biology and estuary ecosystems launched at Aveiro(www.biorede.pt )

Scientific

RemarksSample ExperiencesDriving factor

Marinha Grande and Aveiro clearly shows the important mutual relationships that specific project-based communities have on the facilitation of network societies, but also the fact that the implementation of digital cities may significantly improve the efficiency of those communities

Some Conclusions• Value-based networks have the potential to make both public

administration and markets more effective, which helps promoting learning trajectories for the inclusive development of society, …

• ... but require effective infrastructures, incentives and adequate institutional frameworks;

• A continuous pubic effort is needed, as also a better understanding of the effectiveness of the mix of public support mechanisms and private incentives for the development of digital cities;

• In early stage developments, digital cities do require continuous support, together with adequate monitoring and evaluation procedures.

• Mobilization of the Information Society is one of the most criticalfactors to be considered in the design, implementation and exploitationof digital cities;

• Market mechanisms do not necessarily work at the level of the issues associated with digital cities, namely in less favourable zones.

• They require an effective mix of public support mechanisms that take a relatively long-term perspective

• Digital cities cannot be promoted independently of an innovation policy fostering capacity and connectivity

Linked Resources

Emerging Trends of Next Generation Digital Cities

Building individual and social competences through knowledge-based adaptive human centred environments

InteroperabilityStandards

Mobilizing “change agents” to foster communities of practice, CoP´s, and user involvement

Mobilization of users

Technology supply

Human and social Context

New competences in content and services development, enhancing user activities and networks

Networked Activities

Web functionalities

Specific knowledge of institutional and local contexts in order to help developing interactive contents

On-line collaboration and participation

One-way distribution of information

Content/ services

Competitive mobile services and improved regulatory framework for increased individual participation

RoamingFixed access

Embedding ICT infrastructures in urban daily life, fostering human-centered systems

Invisible infrastructure

Conspicuous objects

Infrastructure/access

Implications and requirementsToFromLayer of Analysis

Semantic Grids

Territory Related Semantic Grids• Communication networks, computing and data

management will become embedded in urban daily life, therefore, they will become invisible to most of the city dwellers as any other town infrastructure.

• Territory-related semantic grids will provide a integrated virtual platform for communications and learning in the same way electric grids and transportation systems support urban daily life.

• They will be, nonetheless, embedded in a human context that calls for the development for human-centeredsystems, in terms of recognizing the importance of social and cultural shaping forces while developing, and exploiting technological systems.

• The goal is to move from the current situation of complexityand frustration to one where technology serves humanneeds invisibly (Normam, 1999).